Welding rod container

ABSTRACT

A welding rod container includes a rectangular body, and a unitary rectangular metal end having: a permanent portion secured at its outer edge to the body and having a flange terminating inwardly in a double-bend portion, the double-bend portion including an inwardly-extending lowermost level; and a removable portion having a peripheral edge joined to the lowermost level of the double-bend portion at a tear-line, the lowermost level and peripheral edge having first and second offset levels, the tear-line being formed by the offset juncture thereof.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to containers having end portions sealedto corresponding container bodies and, more particularly, to welding rodcontainers with metal ends.

BACKGROUND

Welding rods may be used in various types of welding including, forexample, their use with conventional electric welders, sometimesreferred to as stick welders, where welding may be performed by creatingan electric arc between the end of a welding rod and the work piece orwork pieces. Various other welding and bonding processes may utilizewelding rods, such as processes that inject additional materials into awelding location for improving efficiency, lowering cost,removing/preventing impurities, etc. Welding rods may contain a flux orflux generating material covering a metal rod for preventing oxidationof the welding rod material and areas adjoining the work piece. The rodsmay contain other additives, depending on the particular weldingapplication.

A welding operator may elect to use any of several different welding rodsizes and materials, depending on the job being performed, costconsiderations, etc. For example, the operator may choose to weld thinmaterial one minute and thick material the next, changing welding rodsas to material or size as appropriate for welding different pieces. Suchdifferent size welding rods, that may be formed of different materials,are typically provided in separate containers.

It is often desirable to prevent welding rods from being exposed towater, air, and other impurities in order to prevent oxidation andlowering of welding efficiency and quality. Therefore, welding rods aretypically provided in sealed containers that can include, for example, acover for re-sealing the container after it has been opened. However,conventional welding rod containers do not optimize a so-called“easy-open” structure, and do not optimize welding rod container safetyto address concerns such as the possibility of an operator's hand beingcut on a sharp exposed edge created when opening an easy-open weldingrod container.

For example, the operator may position an opened welding rod containernear a welder and then insert his hand into the opened container toretrieve a welding rod. In doing so, the operator may be wearing awelding shield and may have his attention directed to other matters,whereby he may inadvertently risk being cut by a sharp fracturedscore-line of a conventional easy-open container.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved welding rodcontainer overcoming some of the problems and shortcomings of the priorart, including those referred to above.

Another object of the invention is to provide an easy-open containerallowing a cooperation of structural elements for optimizing an ease ofopening the container.

Another object of the invention is to provide an easy-open welding rodcontainer with a reduced risk of hand contact with a sharp edge when auser reaches into the opened container.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a pull-tab typeeasy-open container allowing a cooperation of structural elements forreducing the amount of sharp edge exposure created by opening thecontainer.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a simple welding rodcontainer form that allows for easy manufacturing thereof.

How these and other objects are accomplished will become apparent fromthe following descriptions and the drawings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to an aspect of the invention, in a welding rod container ofthe type including (a) an elongate container body of rectangularcross-section and terminating at an open-end edge, (b) a metal endhaving a permanent portion with a rectangular outer edge secured to theopen-end edge of the body and a removable portion defined by atear-line, and (c) a pull-tab on the removable portion for manualfracture of the tear-line and removal of the removable portion to openthe container, an improvement includes: the permanent portion of themetal end having a double-bend portion as an innermost blunt edge, thedouble-bend portion serving to recess the tear-line and removableportion, the tear-line being positioned such that it is away from handcontact when a user reaches into the opened container; and, thetear-line extending around the pull-tab and from there, on either sideof the pull-tab, across the metal end in directions diverging fromadjacent outer edges of the metal end, whereby such double-bend portionand tear-line cooperate for easy opening and edge safety.

According to another aspect of the invention, a welding rod containerincludes a rectangular body, and a unitary rectangular metal end having:a permanent portion secured at its outer edge to the body and having aflange terminating inwardly in a double-bend portion, the double-bendportion including an inwardly-extending lowermost level; and a removableportion having a peripheral edge joined to the lowermost level of thedouble-bend portion at a tear-line, the lowermost level and peripheraledge having first and second offset levels, the tear-line being formedby the offset juncture thereof.

According to a further aspect of the invention, a welding rod containerincludes a container body of a size at least as long as a welding rod tobe contained therein, and a unitary rectangular metal end including: apermanent portion secured at its outer edge to the body and having aninwardly-extending flange; and, a removable portion having a peripheraledge joined to the inwardly-extending flange at a tear-line, where theinwardly-extending flange of the permanent portion and the peripheraledge of the removable portion have respective first and second offsetthicknesses, the tear-line being formed by the offset juncture thereof.

As a result of the present invention, structural portions of a weldingrod container combine in cooperative fashion to assist the ease ofopening the container. In addition, safety is improved as a result ofless exposure of potential sharp edges.

The foregoing summary does not limit the invention, which is insteaddefined by the attached claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a welding rod container according to anexemplary embodiment of the subject invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a metal end portion of the welding rodcontainer of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the metal end portion of FIG. 2, minus thepull-tab.

FIG. 4A is a top plan view of a pull-tab of the metal end portion ofFIG. 2, and FIG. 4B is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of a piercingend of the pull-tab of FIG. 4A.

FIG. 5 is a side plan view of the pull-tab of FIG. 4A.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the metal end portion ofFIG. 3, taken along the pulling tab lengthwise axis thereof.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the tear-line of themetal end portion of the welding rod container of FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of a metal end portionhaving a tear-line disposed inwardly of a double-bend portion and havinga seam joining the metal end portion to the main container portion,according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of a metal end portionhaving a tear-line disposed outwardly of the inner perimeter blunt edgeof a double-bend portion thereof and having a flange type outerperimeter, according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 11A is a top plan view of a metal end portion having an outerflange type perimeter, for example having a structure as shown in FIG.10; FIG. 11B is a side plan view of the metal end portion of FIG. 11A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. is a perspective view of a welding rod container 10 according to anexemplary embodiment of the invention. Container 10 has an elongatedmain container portion 12 having a length greater than a length ofwelding rods to be held therein. Main container portion 12 may be formedof any suitable durable, air-tight, water-tight material such as metal,resin, and others. Main container portion 12 preferably has an even andlevel upper edge 13 that may include a flat, flanged, or other shapedsurface, and that provides the perimeter of an open end thereof. Suchupper edge 13 provides a location for attaching main container portion12 to a metal end portion 14.

FIGS. 2-7 show an exemplary metal end portion 14 of welding rodcontainer 10. Metal end 14 preferably has a square shape but any otherappropriate shape, corresponding to a shape of the open end of maincontainer portion 12, may be used. Metal end 14 is formed of a thinunitary metal sheet 21, a pull-tab 31, and a rivet 37 for attaching thepull-tab 31 to the sheet 21.

Metal end 14 has a permanent portion 22 and a temporary portion 23enclosed by permanent portion 22 along a tear-line 41. The outerperimeter of permanent portion 22 has a horizontal flange 24. Flange 24,as discussed further below, may also be referred to as a “seamingpanel.” A vertical portion 25 of metal end 14 is formed at the innerperimeter of the square formed by flange 24 as the result of a bend 26of ninety degrees having a radial curvature. Vertical portion 25 extendsto a lower radial bend 27 of ninety degrees that redirects sheet 21 ofpermanent portion 22 inwardly to form a middle portion 28 that isessentially in parallel with flange 24 and that provides the flat topsurface of the permanent portion 22.

Middle portion 28 extends inwardly to a double-bend portion 61 thatincludes a first 180 degree bend 64, a second 180 degree bend 65, and amiddle portion therebetween. After second bend 65, double-bend portion61 extends inwardly as a permanent end portion 66 that terminates attear-line 40. Tear-line 40 is formed by the offset relation of twolevels 44, 45 of sheet 21, at a location where permanent end portion 66joins temporary peripheral portion 67. Tear-line 40 is preferablylocated proximate the inner peripheral blunt edge 62 formed at the apexof first bend 61, as shown by example in FIG. 9 being formed slightlyinwardly of blunt edge 62, and as shown in FIG. 10 being formed slightlyoutwardly of blunt edge 62.

Tear-line 40 defines the juncture between temporary portion 23 andpermanent portion 22. Tear-line 40 preferably forms such juncture as adiamond-shaped line when viewed from above as shown in the top planillustration of FIG. 3. Tear-line 40 can be seen as having four roundedcorners 46, 47, 48, 49, where corner 46 is proximate pull-tab 31. As theroutes of tear-line 40 lead from corner 46 on either side of pull-tab31, tear-line 40 diverges away from respective adjacent container sides71, 72 between corner 46 and corners 47, 49. The respective routes oftear-line 40 from corners 47, 49 to corner 48 then converge towardrespective sides 73, 74 of container 10.

A moustache score 81 is formed in temporary portion 23 adjacent rivet 37and perpendicular to lengthwise tab pulling axis 32. The pointed endportion 33 of pull-tab 31 may be positioned so as to abut both theadjacent double-bend portion 61 and tear-line 40. Metal sheet 21 in thearea 82 of temporary portion 23 under pull-tab 31 may be formed as araised portion 83 where rivet 37 does not extend inside main containerportion 12.

A raised panel 90 is formed as an island type structure in temporaryportion 23. Although shown as a raised panel, the panel 90 mayalternatively be formed as a recessed panel. An embossed logo 85 orother indicia may be stamped, engraved, or otherwise formed on raisedpanel 90. Raised panel 90 has a side formed essentially perpendicular tolengthwise tab pulling axis 32. The remainder of the perimeter of raisedpanel 90 is formed to be essentially in parallel with the respectiveadjacent parts of tear-line 40. For example, side 91 of raised panel 90is essentially in parallel with side 55 of tear-line 40, side 92 ofraised panel 90 is essentially in parallel with side 56 of tear-line 40,and short intermediate sides 93, 94 of raised panel 90 are essentiallyin parallel with respective adjacent tear-line portions 57, 58.

Pull-tab 31 has a pointed end section 33 adapted for piercing tear-line40 near corner 46 when tab 31 is pulled upwardly in a conventionalmanner. Pull-tab 31 has a middle section 34 secured to a slightly raisedsection 83 of temporary portion 23 with rivet 37 passing through hole 36of middle section 34. Middle section 34 is at a slight angle withrespect to pointed end section 33. A pulling portion 35 of pull-tab 31is slightly angled with respect to middle section 34 and has a centeropening 38 adapted for receiving a user's finger under a rounded part 39of a lateral section 30.

FIGS. 9 and 10 show variations and options that may be chosen for aparticular welding rod container application. By comparison, FIG. 9shows a tear-line 41 located inwardly of blunt edge 62 formed on theinner perimeter of double-bend portion 61, whereas FIG. 10 shows atear-line 51 disposed outwardly of blunt edge 62. In addition, seamingpanel 24 of FIG. 9 is formed into a seam along with an outermost edge 16of main container portion 12. Such seam may be formed to be airtight andwatertight in a known manner including, but not limited to, use ofsealants, welding, pressure, tension, etc. By comparison, flange 29 ofFIG. 10 may be kept in a horizontal configuration, either having asingle layer as shown, or doubled back upon itself after abuttingengagement with a corresponding flange (not shown) of main containerportion 12, thereby forming a double-layer horizontal flange 29 thatencloses the flange of end 16 of main container portion 12. Such anembodiment is shown by example in FIGS. 11A and 11B, which alsoillustrate a curved side 95 of a raised panel 96, which provides asimilar cooperation with other container structure, while effecting adifferent profile for transfer of pulling force.

A sealing compound 75 is used for assuring the watertight sealingbetween metal end portion 14 and main container portion 12. Verticalportion 25 may also be bonded to main container portion 12. Sealingcompound 75 may be placed along the under side of flange/sealing panel29, at the juncture of flange 29 and vertical portion 25, and/or alongvertical portion 25. Then, the forming of a seam and/or other sealingtype bonding between main portion 12 and end 14 is performed.

In various applications, a seal between the metal end 14 and the maincontainer portion may also be made by use of an adhesive, heat, sonicheating, high-frequency heating, or by heating the main containerportion 12 (if it is metal) using electrical induction or by localdirect heat application.

In forming welding rod container 10, tear-line 40 may be created by aprecise partial shearing or by a stamping operation that creates theboundary 58 between temporary and permanent portions, 23, 22,respectively. Such boundary 58 preferably has a vertical thickness fromtwenty to fifty percent of the nominal thickness 59 of metal sheet 21,depending on the particular material being used. An optimum thickness ofthe boundary 58 should be large enough to prevent the possibility ofunwanted tearing and small enough to allow easy tearing when pull-tab 31is pulled.

A welding technician may open welding rod container 10 by holding thecontainer 12 with one hand and placing one or more fingers of the otherhand under rounded part 39 of lateral section 30. The technician thenlifts pull-tab 31 first upwardly so that lateral section 30 is beingmoved toward corner 46, whereby pointed end 33 of pull-tab 31 piercestear-line 40. The piercing movement is enabled by rivet 37 acting as afulcrum and by moustache score 81 acting to concentrate the piercingforce toward tear-line 40.

When pull-tab 31 is approximately vertical and corner 46 has beenpierced, the technician then pulls pull-tab 31 away from corner 46. Indoing so, tear-line 46 proceeds to fracture as it diverges laterallyfrom the respective sides 71, 72 of container 10. Side 98 of raisedpanel 90, being perpendicular to tab pulling axis 32, prevents thepulling force from deforming temporary portion 23, so that the pullingforce is instead directed outwardly to tear-line 40. In addition, therelation of tear-line 40 and double-bend portion 61 acts to furtherdirect the pulling force to tear-line 40. Further, double-bend portion61 also acts as a spring or cushion, to a degree dependent on variousfactors such as the material being used, the relative dimensions ofdouble-bend portion 61, etc. Such spring-like action serves as a bufferto prevent pulling force from being transmitted beyond the area neartear-line 40 and acts in cooperation with the tear-line offset form toprovide easier and cleaner tearing.

After temporary portion 23 has been removed and welding rods have beenused, the technician may wish to reseal the container 10 to preventintrusion of impurities such as water. Accordingly, a cover cap (notshown) may be provided for covering the opened metal end 14. Such a capmay be formed of plastic, resin, fiber, and/or other material.

The diamond shape of tear-line 40, in combination with the configurationhaving adjacent sides 91, 92, 93, 94 of raised panel 90 being parallelwith respective portions of tear-line 40, also provides for easierremoval of temporary portion 23 from permanent portion 22. In a mannersimilar to other cooperating elements, such relationship between suchsides of raised panel 90 and essentially parallel parts of tear-line 40acts to prevent physical distortion of metal sheet 21 of temporaryportion 23 and concentrates pulling force at tear-line 40.

Raised area 83 of temporary portion 23 under pull-tab 31 also acts toconcentrate initial tab lifting force at the initial tearing point,especially when such structure is combined with adjacent structuralconfiguration including rivet 37 acting as an ersatz fulcrum, moustachescore line 81 acting to direct initial bending of adjacent areas ofmetal sheet 21 proximate rivet 37, and structural integrity provided byraised panel 90. Further, corners 18, 19 of metal end 14 are preferablyformed to align with respective corners 49, 48 of tear line 40, alsoadding structural support for a tearing operation.

Protective compounds may be applied at either or both of upper surface87 and/or lower surface 88 of metal sheet 21 in the immediate vicinityof tear-line 40. When tear-line 40 fractures as a result of a weldingtechnician removing temporary portion 23, such protective compounds arecaused to be displaced so that they cover at least a portion of thenewly-created edge created by the fracture. Such compounds may becomeexposed by the fracturing process. The protective compounds act toprovide additional protection against injury to the welding technician'shand due to possible contact with a sharp edge.

The structural relationship between double-bend portion 61 and tear-line40 provides additional safety against cuts and similar injuries. Forexample, when the fracture edge is created by tab-pulling force, theedge bends upwardly into a space under the inner peripheral blunt edge62 of double-bend portion 61, whereby a technician's hand is preventedfrom making contact with the fracture edge by blunt edge 62. Suchprotection is increased when tear-line 51 is disposed slightly outwardlyof inner peripheral blunt edge 62, when a thickness 59 of metal sheet 21is small, and/or when a thickness of vertical portion 58 of tear-line 40is small, etc. When relative dimensions are made thinner, a large tabpulling force acts to further drive any exposed edge into the spaceunder blunt edge 62, but such thinner material may also cause a sharperfracture edge. By making the boundary 58 vertical thickness as small aspractical, a corresponding vertical dimension of potential sharpnessalso becomes smaller.

While the principles of the invention have been shown and described inconnection with specific embodiments, it is to be understood that suchembodiments are by way of example and are not limiting.

1. In a welding rod container of the type including (a) an elongatecontainer body of rectangular cross-section and terminating at anopen-end edge, (b) a metal end having a permanent portion with arectangular outer edge secured to the open-end edge of the body and aremovable portion defined by a tear-line, and (c) a pull-tab on theremovable portion for manual fracture of the tear-line and removal ofthe removable portion to open the container, the improvement wherein:the permanent portion of the metal end includes a double-bend portion asan innermost blunt edge, the double-bend portion serving to recess thetear-line and removable portion, the tear-line being positioned suchthat it is away from hand contact when a user reaches into the openedcontainer; and the tear-line extends around the pull-tab and from there,on either side of the pull-tab, across the metal end in directionsdiverging from adjacent outer edges of the metal end, whereby suchdouble-bend portion and tear-line cooperate for easy opening and edgesafety.
 2. The welding rod container of claim 1 wherein: the pull-tab isadjacent to a first corner of the metal end; the outer edges of themetal end form a square, including two proximal outer edges extendingfrom the first corner and two distal outer edges extending to anopposite corner of the metal end; and the tear-line on either side ofthe pull-tab diverges from a respective one of the proximal outer edges.3. The welding rod container of claim 2 wherein the tear-line, afterdiverging from the respective proximal outer edges on either side of thepull-tab, therebeyond converges with a respective one of the distalouter edges.
 4. The welding rod container of claim 2 wherein thetear-line has a parallelogram shape with curved corners.
 5. A weldingrod container comprising: a rectangular body; and a unitary rectangularmetal end including: a permanent portion secured at its outer edge tothe body and having a flange terminating inwardly in a double-bendportion, the double-bend portion including an inwardly-extendinglowermost level; and a removable portion having a peripheral edge joinedto the lowermost level of the double-bend portion at a tear-line, thelowermost level and peripheral edge having first and second offsetthicknesses, the tear-line being formed by the offset juncture thereof.6. The welding rod container of claim 5 wherein: the double-bend portionforms an inner blunt perimeter of the permanent portion; and thetear-line is proximate to and slightly outward of the inner bluntperimeter.
 7. The welding rod container of claim 5 wherein theperipheral edge of the removable portion is recessed with respect to thelowermost level of the double-bend portion.
 8. The welding rod containerof claim 5 wherein: the metal end has four outer edges and four corners;a pull-tab is disposed on the removable portion adjacent to a firstcorner of the metal end, the four outer edges of the metal end includingtwo proximal outer edges extending from the first corner and two distalouter edges extending to a diagonally opposite corner of the metal end;and the tear-line is disposed on either side of the pull-tab anddiverges from a respective adjacent one of the proximal outer edges. 9.The welding rod container of claim 8 wherein the tear-line, afterdiverging from the respective proximal outer edges on either side of thepull-tab, therebeyond converges with a respective one of the distalouter edges.
 10. The welding rod container of claim 8 wherein thetear-line has a diamond-like shape.
 11. The welding rod container ofclaim 5 wherein the removable portion includes an offset reinforcingpanel.
 12. The welding rod container of claim 11 wherein the reinforcingpanel is raised.
 13. The welding rod container of claim 1 1 wherein: thetear-line has four sides and rounded corners; and the offset reinforcingpanel has a panel edge adjacent to and substantially parallel to one ofthe four sides of the tear-line.
 14. The welding rod container of claim11 wherein: a pull-tab is attached to the removable portion and has anominal pull-tab pulling axis; and the reinforcing panel has an edgedisposed essentially normal to the nominal pull-tab pulling axis. 15.The welding rod container of claim 14 wherein the reinforcing panel israised and the pull-tab is recessed with respect to the reinforcingpanel.
 16. The welding rod container of claim 15 wherein the raisedpanel has three edges, two of which are substantially parallel toportions of the tear-line shape.
 17. A welding rod container comprising:a container body of a size at least as long as a welding rod to becontained therein; and a unitary rectangular metal end including: apermanent portion secured at its outer edge to the body and having aninwardly-extending flange; and a removable portion having a peripheraledge joined to the inwardly-extending flange at a tear-line; wherein theinwardly-extending flange of the permanent portion and the peripheraledge of the removable portion have respective first and second offsetlevels, the tear-line being formed by the offset juncture thereof. 18.The welding rod container of claim 17 wherein the peripheral edge of theremovable portion is recessed with respect to the inwardly-extendingflange of the permanent portion.
 19. The welding rod container of claim18 wherein: the metal end has four outer edges and four corners; apull-tab is on the removable portion adjacent to a first corner of themetal end, the four outer edges of the metal end including two proximalouter edges extending from the first corner and two distal outer edgesextending to a diagonally opposite corner of the metal end; and thetear-line on either side of the pull-tab diverges from a respective oneof the proximal outer edges.
 20. The welding rod container of claim 19wherein the tear-line, after diverging from the respective proximalouter edges on either side of the pull-tab, therebeyond converges with arespective one of the distal outer edges.
 21. The welding rod containerof claim 20 wherein the tear-line has a diamond-like shape.
 22. Thewelding rod container of claim 17 wherein the removable portion includesan offset reinforcing panel.
 23. The welding rod container of claim 22wherein the reinforcing panel is raised.
 24. The welding rod containerof claim 19 wherein: the tear-line has four sides; and the offsetreinforcing panel has a panel edge adjacent to and substantiallyparallel to one of the four sides of the tear-line.
 25. The welding rodcontainer of claim 22 wherein: a pull-tab is attached to the removableportion and has a nominal pull-tab pulling axis; the lower centersection has an offset reinforcing panel, the reinforcing panel having atleast one edge disposed essentially normal to the nominal pull-tabpulling axis.
 26. The welding rod container of claim 25 wherein thereinforcing panel is raised and the pull-tab is recessed with respect tothe reinforcing panel.
 27. The welding rod container of claim 26 whereinthe raised panel has three edges, two of which are substantiallyparallel to portions of the tear-line shape.